


Walking by a Friend

by ConEno



Series: Coming Home [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Good gaster - Freeform, Magic, Monsters, Other, Sci-Fi, Suspense, puns, undertale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-11-13 11:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11183964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConEno/pseuds/ConEno
Summary: Gaster had been trapped in the Void for a long time.Traveling through the underground unoticed, he spends time following the child, Frisk.Since this would be the last timeline to be finally freeing the monsterkind.What he did not consider, were to have gotten noticed by the child.~ Part 01 ~





	1. Gaster

Dark, yet darker.

For so long, endless, even though time were no longer a concept in this dimension.

The Void.

He remember his forgotten name, Wingding Gaster. Forgotten, because he were erased. Removed from his homeworld. Every family and friends had no memories of him, like it never existed.

That reminder hurts his soul every time he watched his timeline. Though it cannot be anymore damaged than it already is. Fractured in pieces.

When he first woke up in this darkness, he had no form. No concept of anything but his mind screaming 'this is wrong'.

It took a long while to get back to more of his normal self, gathering pieces of his soul together. Went from being a melted blob to something half of what he used to be a skeleton, his body still melted in something black, his skull more visible, however, with new marking he did not remember to have gotten.

To perfectly lined fractures on his face, one above his right eye-socket, making it crescent and unable to fully open it. Other below the left to his mouth. He does not know how it looks without a mirror to see if he could smile properly.

Then it was his hands, both had carved in perfect circled holes in his palms. It was like something or someone had taken pieces out of him.

Was it memory loss?

He does not know.

And for what seems to be an eternity to him, he finally had managed getting all pieces of his soul together. But not whole. No matter what, it was broken, enough that he knows if he leaves the void, and back to his timeline. He would dust immediately. However, he would rather want that, than spending an eternity in the darkness, where time existed, yet does not. Where he stands on something, yet there’s no gravity. A place that exist, yet not. A place between time and space, he had concluded a long time ago.

There’s nothing, nobody here but him. Even though he feared there would be a beast of sorts in here that would devour him, or worse yet, the darkness will.

Back when he had found at least half of his soul, he noticed he were capable to look into his world, his home, his timeline. He does not know how, but he did.

He could see his family. His brothers.

Even though Gaster were the eldest, he were only about few years older than second eldest. Clever for his age, always looks for a way to resolve problems or conflicts with humour. Gaster was proud when he had gotten his first Mechanical Degree, becoming a doctor himself. When seeing him now, being lazy at the green couch they have at home, spilling puns towards his taller but youngest brother, he felt guilty on how it became to be.

He was the reason for his brother’s depression.

When Gaster were involved into the accident, caused to throw him into the Void, his brother had for years trying to bring him back. It pained Gaster to see him fail, and giving up hope. And HoPe were crucial to monsters. It was what kept them alive. He doesn’t know if his brother had heard him, Gaster had constantly begged him to stop, think of the youngest, to protect what he had left. Until he were left with only one, ONE HP… the guilt crushed Gaster.

He were rather glad his brother stopped, trying to raise the youngest as best he could instead.

The youngest were always an energetic bundle of happiness, always see the good in everything. And just a child when he last saw him.

Now though, he had grown a lot taller than his older brother. And if he still had his original form, he would probably be taller than Gaster even. He watched the youngest chasing his dreams of being part of the royal guard. And lucky to have gotten a friendship with the captain of the royal guard. For a long time, he had difficulties to get any friends, always being a bundle of energy and easy to bully because of his naivity.

What was worse, youngest had noticed something was obviously wrong with his second older brother, even though he did not remember Gaster, he knew there was a horrible reason to why, therefore he got more protective over his brother's health. Hoping to raise back his brother's HP.

Both moving from the New Home to Snowdin, which he could not blame them for. Though he wondered if his brother deliberately moved them there because of reminder.

Gaster visited Snowdin a lot with his brothers, mostly to visit an old friend.

A flame elemental that ran a bar.

He had met him briefly during the war, then again a while after moving from Home, which are now called Ruins. And for years, he never told anyone, but he had a crush on the monster. And hid it really well as since nobody, not even his brothers had questioned about it.

He never confessed, for a reason.

He had problems with his anxiety, and bad days. Depressing days.

The work were taking toll on him. And he had the worst day, the day before he fell.

He had gone into an argument with his friend, which did not help him with his state of mind. He wished to be gone, erased from existens.

Oh stars how he could see the irony now.

Though what happened was an accident, not something he wanted to expose his family for on purpose.

He could never apologize, he could only be imprisoned in the Void with regrets, guilt, and a lot of thoughts.

However, when years had gone by in the timeline. There was a human child that had emerged from the ruins. With his shock, he thought immediately it was the adopted human child of the King and Queen of monsters, back from the dead based on how similar they were. But were not.

This child was different, yet so similar. Brown-bob cut hair, purple blue striped sweater, brown pants. And most importantly, brown eyes, instead of red, which were the main trait of the previous child he remembered.

He saw his brother eyeing the child from the forest, judging. He worked as a sentry now, so of course he would be on watch for humans. Will he kill this one? That thought saddens him.

Though what had surprised him during this timeline, was that the child had befriended every monster they came across, until the captain of royal guard had killed them. That struck Gaster with grief, the child did not deserve it.

Then something he thought would have never experienced to watch. The child had magic! They RESET time itself, being back at the point before being confronted by captain again, and be killed once again.

This happened so many times, that Gaster were in shocked awe in disbelief.

The child had DETERMINATION. A bright red coloured soul.

And quite determined to even befriend the one who killed them so many uncountable times.

This kept happening whenever they were killed.

Was this a chance where the child could possibly free the human kind? Or would they be unable to pass the King unless they take his soul, and cross the barrier the monsterkind were trapped in.

There were so many possibilites.

Then something happened what he did not expect.

A flower, a buttercup, soulless flower forced the child to start over from the beginning with a RESET.

First impression of the Flower were evil. It was nothing like hatred he had encoutered in the war before.

So he had followed the child curiosly, seeing them repeat everything with more confidence, until the flower came back. To his shock, had stolen the six souls that were preserved to help breaking the barrier, and became an overpowered monster, of what previously had been the royal King’s and Queen’s biological child, the prince.

Gaster could not do anything but to watch, the child being killed and brought back by sheer determination over and over again like torture.

Once battle was over, Gaster could not help but to feel pity over the prince. They had not deserved such life, nor such death. And he broke the barrier, with all six human souls, as well all of monsters before returning everything back to normal.

The prince were gone, and his brothers and their friends had surrounded the human child who laid unconcious on the floor. Not that he blamed them, it was rather exhausting battle they had gone through.

Once woken up, going outside, he tried following them. Only to be stuck, like he were still in the barrier himself… was it because of his soul? Did his not count!?

Gaster broke down in tears, he didn’t even know that he would not be able to watch the sun along with his brothers. Nor being able to watch over them when they leave the mountain.

Then something happened, a force he recognized very well.

RESET.

But why? The monsters were free! Did something happen outside!?

Gaster had immediately returned to the beginning, looking for the child beyond the ruins. And it was not what he expected. He stopped before the child that laid unconcious on the flowerbed, and saw something sinister, a tainted energy had seeped into the child.

Then what he feared, the horror began.

The child had started killing the monsters. Everybody. Even his youngest brother…

Gaster were enraged, he wanted to pierce the child with every magic he got, but nothing happened.

And it wasn’t to his horror, when he faced his last brother alive in the Judgment Hall, that he realized. His brother remembers. He remember the RESETs. The good one, and how the child had died multiple times. Both battling. Over and over, until the child finally landed a hit on his brother.

Gaster wanted to scream, why!? Why did this happen!?

It wasn’t long until he understood why, the child was posessed. By none other than the royal human child of King and Queen. If he thought the flower were evil by hatred, then the comparison to the royal human would be like a puddle to an ocean.

The true child itself were in grief, not wanted to kill at all, they were fighting the royal human over dominance over the power of RESET, and the ownership of the body.

And this kept happening for who knows how long.

The RESETs kept happening. Countless times.

He could do nothing, but to watch the fate over monsterkind.

Perhaps this was the angel prophecy were about? The good and bad ‘Angel’ fighting over who gets to empty the underground? He were curious to who were winning. Being in the Void, and watch everything repeat did got boring. But it didn’t mean he didn’t feel remorse or hatred whenever his brothers were killed. Or joy and fun whenever true child were flirting their way through underground.

For what have been over thousand times, the battle were finally concluded!

He watched the true child giving Mercy to the royal human, baffled that they even still try to befriend someone with so much hatred.

Gaster noticed then, the hatred, it had dissipated from the royal human. Battling over ownership must have worn them out, given into the kindness the true child gave. Making the royal human move on, resting in peace.

After everything that had happened, he got deep respect for the true child, sticking to their decision with their determination. Showing kindness. Perhaps it will be a second trait to their soul when they grow up.

Then everything went black. Even for him.

What he did not expect, were that the child appeared and came up to him. He were frozen still, eyeing them with caution. When they tilted their head, they attempted grabbing him that he jolted in shock, teleporting away in the Void.

Wait… why did he do that!? It was the first time anyone had encountered with him for years.

He groaned in misery at the realization, along with a facepalm.

Then recognized the RESET.

He could take the chance to see if it wasn’t a mistake, by meeting them at the very beginning where they fell down from the barrier.

Sure enough, they were there, sitting on the flower bed in deep thoughts, seeming to brace themselves as they stood up.

When looking up, they were startled. Falling on backwards on the flowerbed with wide brown eyes.

 

 

They could see him.


	2. Frisk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little background on why Frisk came to the mountain.

The child stared at him in shock. As well did Gaster. They CAN see him.

But how? Why now? Was it because the royal child no longer posessed them?

Unknowingly he had started pacing, mumbling these question out loud enough, that even the child could hear him.

He jumped when he felt a touch, A TOUCH!? Looking down, hand on his chest as if it gave him an heart attack. Well… without a heart. He saw the child were the one who did, and looked confused at him, and as well wary.

Oh, right.

[My apologies, child. I really didn’t know you could touch me as well as you could see me.]

Tilting their head in confusion, they raised their hands.

‘Are you…’ they hesitated, looking down on the ground before looking back up. ‘Are you Gaster?’

He froze in shock. How could this child possibly know that!?

[Wh- yes. H-how did you…] and suddenly aware of his surroundings, he stopped. [It doesn’t matter. You need to go see that flower before lady Toriel passes by! Or else she would not notice your arrival!]

The child were surprised, though didn’t disagree. They ran past Gaster through the hall and entere through the columns. And he followed. Would the flower notice him as well now?

 

“Howdy! I’m Flowey. Flowey the flower!” he heard the childish voice. Eventually seeing the yellow butterup, half the child’s size with a smiley face.

Even now, he’s baffled by the fact that the flower doesn’t remember all RESET, only some in certain circumstances, before loosing them all over again. And sure enough, even when he came behind the child, the flower still cannot see him.

“Hmm… You’re new to the Underground, aren’tcha? Golly, you must be confused. Someone ought to teach you how things work around here!”

The child shrugged with a smile. He wondered if the child were really playing along or truly mean that smile.

“I guess little old me will have to do. Ready? Here we go!”

And the child’s soul, bright red as he had seen before. Though now with a closer look, a green sheen around it. He was right, the child would grow kindness as secondary trait when older.

“See that heart? That is your soul, the very culmination of your being! Your soul starts off weak, but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV.”

The child tilted their head, as if asking a question.

“What’s LV stand for? Why, LOVE of course! You want some LOVE, don’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll share some with you!” the flower winked. “Down here, LOVE is shared through… little white… ‘friendliness pellets’. Are you ready? Move around! Get as many as you can!”

Though the child were no fool, to have experienced such beforehand plenty of times, they avoided the pellets. And Flowey deadpanned expression showed no amusement.

“Hey buddy, you missed them. Let’s try again, okay?”

The child avoided a second time. And of course Flowey would get irritated.

“Is this a joke? Are you braindead? RUN. INTO. THE. ~~BULLETS!!!~~ friendliness pellets.”

The third time was the charm of making the little adorable flower angry. He mused himself with that thought while the child dodged.

Though when angry, Gaster could still feel the chill down his spine when showing the sinister expression a flower could show. Almost like a nightmare.

“You know what’s going on here, don’t you? You just wanted to see me suffer.”

The frantic shaking of the child’s head could not convince Flowey, as the flower had summoned a circle of pellets, surrounding the child.

Gaster would have helped if he could, however, he cannot touch them nor capability to use magic to do any sort of protection.

“DIE.”

The pellets closing in, trying to take the child’s life with a maniac laughter, they disappeared.

All of them showed surprise, when a ball of fire came and hit the flower, making Flowey disappear underground.

Though not surprised at who showed up, a beautiful, tall, white goat monster, wearing a purple and white royal robe, have small horns and stricking red eyes, which narrowed at the spot where Flowey was.

“What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth…” she spoke with motherly voice before looking at the child. Even she could not see Gaster, which leaves simply more question for the child later to why they could. “Ah, do not be afraid, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through this place every day to see if anybody has fallen down. You are the first human to have come her in a long time. Come!” she reaches out a hand towards the child. “I will guide you through the catacombs. This way.” The child reached out without hesitation.

Gaster don’t know if lady Toriel noticed, but the child were close to cry out in relief. And he knows it were likely the feeling of being able to touch someone close, a warm touch one have towards a family.

The child found a SAVE point, a starshaped light which they use in case they died. Gaster was shocked when he lad learned about it the first time.

The child looked back at him, tilting. Then back at Toriel as if were a question itself.

[Lady Toriel cannot see me, nor hear me. I’m in the Void. Where nothing, yet something exist. You are the only one who can.] The child slightly nodded, not raising any suspicions from Toriel.

 

Through some puzzles, and to where Toriel left them with their phone, she walks back home. Without knowing she had given Gaster and the child privacy to talk.

[How did you know who I am?] he asked straight out, it was something that had nagging him the most. How can a child he had never met before, know someone who no longer exist?

The child hesitates, looking down at the floor.

Oh… they don’t know he knows.

[Did you encounter something during the RESETs?] he went ahead and told them. Making the child look up at him in shock.

‘You know about them!?’

Gaster nodded with a sad smile.

[I have been watching you since the first time you came out of the ruins. And the Void somehow enabled me to be unaffected to forget.]

They stared at him with wide brown eyes, then looked fearful and guilty, tearing up.

[It was not your fault. I know that, child.] he tries to reassure. He doesn’t know wether or not he should try to pat their head, then choosing not to, fearing he would just phase through in a useless effort.

However, he were shocked when the child lounged for him into a hug, starting to cry out. He were frantic, not knowing how the child did not went through him, or that how his melted body even were holding up. After a minute or two, he hugs back. The relief of feeling a warm hug, broke Gaster enough to silently cry of lilac tears himself.

It was only a phone call that broke them out of it.

The child answered, and honestly this time, they actually didn’t leave the room yet.

Looking up at Gaster, they both still had teary eyes, the child reach out a hand, and Gaster complied without a word. Walking through the Ruins with them.

‘I know about you because of the strange monsters I only met once during RESETs.’

[Only once?]

Nodding and continue, ‘They were all grey, almost like what human were as ghosts. Not ghost monsters.’ they clarified. ‘They were kind of hard to forget once I met them. And I did met you once after talking to them too.’

That made Gaster blink, looking at them in confusion.

[You met me before?] They nodded.

‘It was somewhere in the beginning of the RESETs, when I used Mercy on everyone. And after talking to the grey monsters. You were in a room by yourself. When I grabbed hold of you to get your attention, you disappeared.’

Gaster widened their eyes at realization, it did happen. But… he were still in the Void, how could that have been possible? And beginning of RESETs? It just happened right before he went to see the child, was there a timelapse somewhere that caused it?

Aaaah, no good. There really are no simple explanation for these things, feeling this would have caused a headache if he could.

However, it did happen. And explains a little, though he wondered who the _grey_ monsters were.

He watched the encounters with froggit and a whimsun. Flirting their way with Mercy. Once done, they had won little gold and moved on.

[You are quite the flirt, child. Who in the world raised you to have such behaviour?]

It was really meant as an innocent question, really. He stopped when he saw them freeze up.

Was that too sensitive of a subect?

Dragging him with them, he cannot help but to look confused, though he did not press the child.

They were a room away to meet with Lady Toriel, however, the child went down to another. Which he knew led to the view to City of Ruins. Where very few monsters still lived.

Gaster watched the child being determined on something… which was a knife!? It’s the same toy knife that…

He were surprised when he saw the child throw it in the fractured cliff over the balcony. Being lost forever. Glancing back at the child, somehow… they looked more free, confident and more. They turned back to him, giving a soft, sad smile.

‘I have not told Sans about this, but… will you promise not to tell?’

Gaster looked confused, he couldn’t tell anyone even if he wanted to, being stuck in the void.

[I promise.] and he keep promises close to his soul.

The child nodded, started signing.

‘On the surface, I had a family. My mom, dad, a little sister even. But… my parents… they were never my parents. I found out I was adopted, not my sister though, she were theirs. And the worst part, I wasn’t adopted. I was taken. Like, taken from another family. _Dad_ confessed while drunk one day, after giving me a beating just for crying, that he found my real family dead, and he just took pity in me being a lone baby and took me, not telling authority.’

Gaster was wide-eyed in shock. There were such a family on the surface!?

‘When I got older, they started to ignore me, or beat me when they wanted to get rid of some anger. When my sister got older as well, I was determined to protect them from the same fate. However… she got sick. Like, really sick. When she collapsed, we took her to the hospital, finding out that she had cancer…’

The child walked closer to Gaster, and he lowered himself as he could. Not interrupting. Seeing as the child started trembling a bit, looking down on the floor.

“S-she…”

He were startled, not knowing the child could talk.

“She died… a week before I came here.”

The child had held a pleading silence for comfort when they tried reaching out to him. He complied. He hugged them, not thight though, not wanting them to merge with his body… was that even possible?

Sniffing, they clutched thight, feeling his hand brush gently on their back.

“They threw me out, blaming me for her death…” their voice were barely a whisper, and almost cracked when they said the last sentence. Only sobbed out to their heart’s content.

To think that the child had such a past, it’s heartbreaking. They had someone they loved and cared for, and lost. Though…

[Why did you come to the mountain then? Were there not tales that told once you climbed the mountain, there would be no return?]

He felt the child freeze up, making Gaster being suspicious with dread hanging onto his soul.

They let go, taking a few steps back, looking guilty away from him.

[You wanted to disappear…] being a statement, not a question.

They went into a second row on sobbing, sitting down on the floor with knees up, hiding their face.

Gaster frowned, he now understood why they came, their past, their… reason? If they truly wanted to disappear, why did they use RESET’s and RELOAD’s? Befriending every monster in underground?

He did not ask out loud these questions, they would have to bee on another time. What he does know right now, is that the child needs comfort. And as well something else… so he sat down next to them, gently patting their head, letting them close into him on their own. He usually did this with his youngest brother, after having a bad day after school.

[I know the feeling. Though not the same situation as you were in.]

They sniffled, wiping snot on their sleeve and looked up to him in confusion.

[Before… before I got trapped into the void, I was a Royal Scientist as you probably know.]

Given a nod as an answer, he continued.

[It was a heavy duty. I may have been a genious, however, I had flaws. I have anxiety issues, and the pressure of working on the CORE, giving necessery power to entire Underground, as well plenty of projects, finding out on how to break the Barrier, as well… preventing monster from ‘falling down’. It took a toll on me.

When the royal children died, it became worse. The King ordered to experiment on human Souls when the next human fell, making us work harder to break the Barrier. Although, it was a shelfish request at his part… he wanted to kill the humans on surface faster.

And I personally lead the project alone, not letting anyone coming close to them in case being accidently absorbed. And I could feel them. The pain, suffering, so many emotions going through them. And I could do nothing to ease them.

The day before I fell, into the CORE…]

He looked down at them, they were listening intently, never heard this version of story before.

[I had a fight with a close friend of mine, especially when I needed someone to be there for me. I wanted to cease to exist.]

The child startled, looked at them with wide brown eyes. Not expecting a monster made of love, hope and compassion, to ever have such thoughts. They had seen Sans being close, being only One HP, however, they had never met a monster even close to such thing.

Gaster chuckled, fiddling with his fingers.

[Ironic, is it not? I got that part come true. However, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.]

Seeing the confusion in the child’s expression, he continued.

[It was only the next day, during construction work at the CORE, the bridge below me and few assistants gave in. Making us fall into the CORE… a work accident.]

Then there were silence between them, not uncomfortable one. Only understanding one.

 

Suddenlt the child stood up, trying to freshen up their face, looking like they had not cried. Gaster stood up, smiling softly at the child. Seeing their signing a letter individually.

[Frisk?] they pointed to themselves. [That’s your name?] given a nod and a smile as an answer, Gaster smiled wider, giving a proper bow in greeting.

[I am Wingding Gaster, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Frisk.]


	3. Toriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Support the author on the road?
> 
> https://ko-fi.com/conniespell

After telling the heartful secrets to each other, Frisk and Gaster walks towards a great tree that stands in front of Lady Toriel’s home. With a click of the front door, they hear her coming closer.

“My goodness, I shouldn’t have left-” she comes around the tree, surprised to see Frisk waving with a wide smile. “My child!? How did you get here? Are you harmed?” she frantically searched on the child, kneeling before them.

Frisk simply shook their head, giggling when Toriel hit a ticklish spot.

‘I’m fine. I thought if I went straight this way, it would lead me to your heart.’ they wiggled their eyebrows.

Toriel and Gaster widened their eyes at the flirty excuse. Making them both break out in laughter.

“Oh, goodness, child. You’re quite the flirt. Well, since you’re here, would you like to see your new home?” she smiles, holding out a hand.

Frisk nodded with a wide smile, taking the hand and enters their new home.

 

Three days had passed by, and Toriel had easily taken in Frisk as their own child. The child started call her ‘mom’ from the beginning. Coming up with puns, listening to snail facts or how the story on how monsters came underground. Showing around the Ruins on how puzzles worked.

When Gaster and Frisk were alone by the bedtime, both would give each other questions, plenty that could not be given answer answer to. And some being confessions, to which Frisk were relieved to know someone else knew about RESETs. When Frisk said so, one of suspicions to Gaster confirmed, that Frisk did not know.

Sans knew, however, concerned knowing that his brother didn’t had the energy to try, or perhaps was afraid if he changed anything so would have Chara’s curiosity, probably lasting even longer. Who knows.

Tapping Gaster’s hand brought him out from his deep thoughts. Blinking down at the child, who looked curious. Seeming to have gotten used that he drifted off.

‘Why can’t anyone but me see you?’

Oh, that has really been a prolonged question.

[Because void is a place between time and space. No one is able to see or hear me. I cannot even move a pebble to even so much leave an airprint.]

It was rather easy just to show them. He pulled out his splintered soul. Fractured pieces that hovers the shape of a side-down heart, yet not connected.

Frisk looked horrified and concerned as they saw his soul.

[This may be one of the reasons as well.]

‘Isn’t there a way to fix it?’

Gaster shook his head, showing nothing but a defeated smile.

[Monster’s soul are not made of determination. I can not pull it together like you did in the battle against Asriel.]

…

‘What if you did?’

[What?]

‘What if my soul can pull together yours?’

Gaster widened his eyesockets, that is ridiculous! Is this child asking him to absorb his soul!?

[No, I will not take your soul.] he said firmly.

Though Frisk shook their head.

‘Not that. I meant… can your soul rest in my soul? See if my determination can pull you together like glue?’

…

…

…

…

…

[What…?]

Frisk repeated the question, seeing Gaster’s dumbfounded expression on him.

[Wait, what!? That would only lead either one of us absorbing one another! I never heard anything like this!]

And that’s when he saw the child expression, recognizing in an instant from the other times.

Determination.

Was the child confident it would work?

‘We don’t know if we don’t try.’

He slumped, leaning against the wall. It was a chance, a chance for him to regain a whole soul, perhaps possibilty to be able to return from the void… he frowned. He did not like this chance, not because of him. Rather disliked that the child would get consequence if something wrong were to happen.

[If we do this, I would possibly be connected to you, as the young Chara was. Or something worse.]

Frisk nodded, seeming to think about it. Nevertheless, it didn’t change their mind. Reaching out a hand.

Seeing the hand, Gaster hesitated. Though he had grabbed it sub-conciously, the need of touch is something he had longed for a long time, being all alone in the void.

[Alright. But!] he stopped the child’s smile in triumph. Waving a stern finger at them. [If something were to go wrong. We will stop, and never do this again.]

Frisk nodded, seeing that they were confident that nothing would go wrong.

They brought out their red soul, still brimming bright with determination. As Gaster brought his out, trusting the child to do what they were thinking of doing. This was not soul bonding, not to absorb one another. Only to house within the child’s soul. He doesn’t know if it would work or not. Then again, he had seen so many impossible things in the timelines, than whatever had happened in his lifetime. Except for the void, that was a shock knowing he were still alive with a fragmented soul.

Frisk had guided and pushed his soul into theirs, with full concentration in their eyes.

Gaster could feel a pull, it felt a little painful, then suddenly like a full blow to his chest. Making him hunch over, as if gasping for breath he know he cannot get. Sweatdrops were running on his skull, and it was only a slight pat on his cheeks that he slightly looked up, seeing the worry in child’s face before they smiled in relief. Pointed down.

He saw they child showing their still bright soul… only.

With a gasp, he could see it.

His soul were preserved in theirs.

His soul were still fragmented, though he can slightly feel it. And suddenly see two of smallest fragments slowly pulled together.

[It worked… It worked!] He hugged the child in glee, he didn’t know how it could happen, but it worked, now he could hope, he can hope returning back! Back to his brothers! Back to his friends!

Frisk hugged tightly back, though after a while patted him to be put down. With a realization as they climbed under the covers, he moved and sat by the bed. Seeing the child reach out a hand, as they did other nights. And he would always comply to them.

Gaster smiled, seeing them settling themselves to sleep.

… Wait… what will happen to the timeline forward with confrontations!?

 

~ * ~

 

By the next day, Frisk stumbles into the living room with a yawn, rubbing their eyes. Settling themselves by the dinner table.

“Good morning, my child. Breakfast is almost ready.” Toriel called out from the kitchen.

They could see each other from the open entrance to the kitchen, across where Frisk sits. They waved with a smile when Toriel looked. Prompting a wider smile of her own.

Since last night, Gaster had been in deep thought, would the preservering cause an effect in this timeline? When confronted by monsters, his soul would be viewable. Wait, can he interact with something now?

He tries brushing a petal of a flower on the dinner table, as Frisk curiously watching him. Nothing. Only to phase through.

‘It’s alright, maybe after your soul is healed it will work.’ they hurriedly signed, while Toriel were focusing on cooking. Gaster smiled at that, settling themselves on the chair in the living room as Toriel brought out big fluffy pancakes.

“Here you go my child… are you alright?” she asked, howering across the table.

That made both Gaster and Frisk flinch barely. Did she notice?

…

‘After breakfast, promise.’

Toriel frowned, quickly as she smiled and let it go.

“Alright, you can tell me anything you know?”

Frisk nodded. Though, Gaster were rather panicking a bit, would the child really tell Toriel about him?

 

A while after,  Toriel settles herself on the comfy chair in the living room. Had taken a book and put on glasses, patiently waiting for her child to tell something themselves.

Frisk hesitated, taking a glance at Gaster showed he were concerned as well. Though gave a nod, giving them permission to talk about him if necessary.

‘Mom?’ they grasped the fabric of her purple robe. ‘How do I get past the ruins?’

He were rather surprised that the child is following the script.

Toriel would have visibly paled at the question if it weren’t for her fur.

“W-wouldn’t you rather know about a snail fact? Did you know that snails sometimes flip their digestive system as they mature? Interesting.”

Though Frisk were determined.

‘Mom, I can’t stay.’ they told her firmly.

Toriel frowned, putting her book aside and stood up.

“… I have to do something, stay here.” she firmly told, walking out to the hallway.

[We better follow.] Though both knew what would happen.

In the hallway, they hurriedly went down the stairs seeing as Toriel walked determined down in a long corridor.

“You wish to know how to return ‘home’, do you not?” She said knowingly that the child had caught up, not looking back. “Ahead of us lies the end of Ruins. A one-way exit to the rest of the Underground. I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again.” She took a firm glance at the child. “Now be a good child and go upstairs.”

It only went few seconds, before she realizes that Frisk isn’t listening.

“Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die.” She listened to the child footsteps, not faltering. “You naive child… If you leave the Ruins… They… **Asgore** … will kill you. I am only protecting you, do you understand?” She took a glance back again, seeing nothing but a determined stance on the child. “… Go to your room.” she ordered.

Gaster knew this speech, and slowly as they came close to a corner, he paled at what he had forgotten. If Toriel were to confront the child, they would likely see HIS soul! Oh dear… how would she react!?

“Do not try to stop me. This is your final warning.”

Following Toriel to the door, leading a way out of Ruins. Only for them all to stop before her, presence that Gaster could not help but shudder the way how Toriel stood tall.

“You want to leave so badly? Hmph.” she turned, looking mad and sad at the same time. “You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this. Prove yourself… prove to me you are strong enough to survive.”

And there was the moment Gaster is fearing, Toriel enter a battle with the child. Flames erupting on either sides of the walls, though not specific use for the battle.

Frisk immediatley used MERCY, like every monster they had met. And surely will so do further. They were confident they would get through this unharmed. They had been through this a countless times after all.

Gaster could do nothing but to look hopelessly at the battle. The child’s soul gets confronted. Looking intensly at Toriel for any sign for change. Though surprised there were none.

Even more so at how graceful Frisk is evading her flame magic.

The child kept giving MERCY, making Toriel confused.

“…?”

“Why are you doing this.” She kept throwing flames. However they were evading her now. “Stop it.” Her expression growing more sad. Stopped throwing attacks.  “I know you want to ho home. But… please go upstairs now.” Her voice cracked as eyes tearing up. “I promise I will take good care of you here.” She smiled sadly, wanting to convince the child. “I know we don’t have much, but… we can have a good life here.” Frisk look sad towards Toriel, signing something Gaster didn’t see from their back. “Why are you making this so difficult? Please, go upstairs.” Frisk shook their head, keep moving their hands.

Gaster watched as Frisk walked closer and closer towards Toriel.

“Ha ha… pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child.”

Finally hugging her as much their small arms could muster.

“… No… I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down here. The Ruins are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this. My expectation…” She gently cupped Frisk’s cheek, seeing their teary eyes. “My loneliness…” she cupped another on the other cheek. “My fear… For you, my child… I will put them aside.” She kneeled down to the child. “If you truly wish to leave the Ruins… I will not stop you. However, when you leave… please do not come back. I hope you undertand.” Toriel finally hugs Frisk, engulfed in big warmth, nuzzled with obvious moist of tears from her. “Goodbye, my child.” She whispered. Standing up to leave the tunnel, only once glancing back with longing.

“Bye, mom…” she froze for a second, then continued walking until she were out of sight.

Gaster went by the child’s side silently, seeing Frisk rubb off their tears with their sleeves.

[Are you alright?]

‘We’ll meet again. That’s for sure.’ They smiled again. Being positive and breathed out. ‘Come on, let’s keep moving.’ They ran ahead.

It was a sad thing to see, no matter how many timelines he had seen. Both bad and good. She always thought of the child first hand. Caring for them deeply as she did for her previous ones. Even the human children that came before Frisk.

He knew she went to her child’s grave in the beginning of the Ruins, giving deep thoughts about this child. Wether or not moving on.

But he knew.

She will move forward.


End file.
